Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-01-26
MONTANA ADHESION BILL.

Territories reported favorably the bill to
admit Montana and Washington into the
Union with certain amendments of which
the following is the text. The COMMITTEES
ask thst the constitutional convention ol
the above named Territories shall incorpo-
rate. in their constitutions the following
provisions.
SECTION I. The marriage relation by
| contract or in fact between one person OF
either sex and more than one person of the
other sex shall be deemed polygamy. No
polygamy or any polygamous celebration
shall be lawful in any place within the juris.
diction of this State.
Sec. 2. The Legislature OF the State
shall not make or enforce any law which
shallallow polygamy or any ~polygamous
cohabitatiOn or association between the
sexes, but shall prohibit the same by law
within the jurisdiction of the State and
declare by law a punishment therefor.
Another section is added which embraces
Mr.. ~Springer's amendment providing that
the results of the election shall be submit
ted to congress for it's approval, instead of
to the President. This proposed amend
ment will result in the usualdelays incident
to fighting the measure through Congress
again.
The proposed amendment relating to
pOlygamous marriage is unnecessary as far
as Montana is concerned. The matter
seems to be fully covered in Section 4 Of
Article 1 Of the Constitution OF Montana,
which reads as follows:
THAT the free exercise and enjoyment OF
religious profession and worship, without
discrimination, shall forever hereafter be
any civil or political rights, privilege or
capacity on account of his opinions con-
corning religion. but the liberty OF con-
science hereby secured shall not be con-
to dispense with oaths or afirma-
tions, excuse acts of Righteousness, by big
or p%olygamous marriages, or 9th
erwise, or justify practices inconsistent
with the good order, peace or safety of
the State, or opposed to the civil author.
ity thereof, or Of the United States" etc.
This appears to cover what the commit
tee desires. but really, in view of the i'm
possibility of ~polygamous marriages being
entered into in Montana and sanctioned 4
BY law, the committee might, with the
same consistency, demand that the Con-
Of Montana shall prohibit the
OF witches at the stake, or the use
the ancient rack to force testimony
rom unwilling witnesses.
Concerning Montana the committee says
n its report: mo census has been taken
1880, but the rapid increase OF popu-
can be determined by the votes cast
Vt the elections held for electing delegates
Congress in 1884 and 1886. These ia
by the usual calculation, would give
151,472 population, and when
Ve take into consideration the large nom
citing population of the Territory engaged
n mining at places remote from voting pre-
incts, and also the large number of per-
ons who have not resided in the Territory
ong enough to become citizens, it would
eem that Montana claims a larger popula-
than the ratio of population in Con-
ress. With LOCO miles OF additional rail-
Dad under construction, every town of I'M
ortance in the Territory will have within
year ample railroad facilities. It is easy
o conceive the impetus that such an ex-
enditure of money will give to business,
8 well &c the cheap and easy mole of
conveyance given to emigrants seeking new
elds of enterprise.
The committees figures give the total
rea OF Montana in square miles at 49,
76. or 90, 016, $40 acres. The number OF
cres exclusive of the Indian and military
is 61,442, 600, of which 49,
90, 900 were surveyed up to the close oil
1888; 20, 500 900 OF this land was granted |
D the Northern Pacific Railroad, and the
has surveyed up to December,
Ss2, 5,716,OOO acres. The total valua-
on OF the property assessed for taxation
increased from $24, O4O. 306 in 1881, to
o5.O76,S71 in 1886. The rate of taxa
is about fifteen mills on the dollar,
ut these estimates do not embrace the
lining districts of the Territory which are
lempt from taxation under the law, nor
oes it include 1 1000 mics of railroad in
,~ccessful operation"
In conclusion the committee avs: p,
1T is fair to conclude that the total val
alton OF assessab BILE property. at this time
not far from 500, 600. 600. The total
iports from Montana in 1885 amounted G
, $26,4OO.O 600, consisting OF gold, silver, :
upper, lead, beef M wool, which includes Z
1000, O head of beef cattle and 600, 800 6
FUNDS OF wool. There are 20 banking i
buses in the territory and 81 Newspapers. T.
;hool houses and churches are to be found '
herever the country has been settled. The :
'ople are generally wealthy, energetic and @
tellIgent, and the remarkably rapid in. t
ease OF population and property during t
last SIX years leaves scarcely any room @
doubt that the people OF Montana are .
lie to stabllsh and maintain state gov II
nment without imposing on themselves a
necessary and heavy taxation. They d
Congress for admission and r
willing to assume the responsibilities oil ~
a:ehood." V
And yet in the face of our population; in =
&c OF the TACT that the Territory is album Il
.ntly able to maintain a state ~organiza. il
IN without the imposition of c~nerous CT
upon it's people; in face of the fact G {,
its increasing railroad facilities will r
iuce a constant and large stream OF i'm q
grants within it's borders, and in face of ii
further fact that the people of Montana CT
sire to be admitted into the Union upon ,
3 same footing with n%eighboring States, e
at they are generally wealthy, energetic fo
d intelligent" and can take care of them es
yes, it is extremely doubtful whether J.
Congress will admit the Territory. 1t y
ms 10th to release the people from their =
condition OF Territorial v~assalage sc
d give them the rights OF freemen. re
eli
VARIETY THEATER WAR. .e
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